The last word of Mr. Veisi was a wish: Now I have only one wish: the return of my son and freedom from the hell of Hossein Yazdan Panah!
According to the IKHRW, the crimes of the PAK against Iranian Kurdish young people and teenagers are still continuing and every day new aspects are revealed. After the recent trip of a number of families of teenagers and young members of this group to the Kurdistan Region and their gathering in front of the offices of government and international institutions in Erbil, the reporter of Iran Kurdistan Human Rights Watch managed to interview these people, some of which have been published on the IKHRW website.
Baha’ddin Veisi, Abdullah’s son and born on 1999/ 14/2 (11/25/1377) in Javanrud, is one of the one who, although he is not a child soldier according to international laws, and became a member of this armed group when he was of legal age, was deceived and did not know about the nature of this group at all according to his father. In fact, the case of Mr. Veisi shows that PAK is not popular among the Kurds at all, and the young do not know about the nature of this group that causes them to be deceived and become members of this group. They realize after joining, but PAK does not even allow children and families to visit and it is practically hostage.
Membership in PAK
According to Mr. Veisi, his son Baha’ddin decided to become a member deceived by Saman Babajani a formerly member of the PAK before on 19/05/2018. His long absence and failure to return home caused the family to follow him, but unfortunately, Bahauddin had left the country within a few hours and entered Pak headquarters. One of the issues that IKHRW has mentioned many times is the problem of borders and the abandonment of these important borders in Iran’s governmental and military system. Western borders of Iran do not have enough nobles, and this has made it easy for the members of armed groups to recruit the Kurdish and expel them from the country.
Bahauddin’s acknowledgment of being deceived by PAK
While emphasizing his son’s youth and inexperience, Mr. Veisi emphasized that his son was deceived:
“Another person in Javanrud had become a member of that armed group and my son was deceived by that person (Saman Babajani), otherwise my son was so naïve that didn’t know anything about these groups and things. Later when I talked to him, he explained he had been deceived. The day he left home, I was working in a poultry farm.
Urgent trip to Iraq to save the child and beat by PAK agents
In response to his son’s illegal departure from Iran and membership in PAK, Mr. Veisi immediately traveled to Iraq. “I quickly reached Iraq and went to the headquarters of the group to return my son, I even got into a fight with them. During this fight, they beat me up and my face became bloody. After that, I was forced to return to Iran because I could not do anything I was disappointed. I had left my child among some heartless people and I could not do anything and I didn’t know where to pursue my child’s freedom.” He told IKHRW reporter.
Mr. Veisi also complains about the behavior of some government institutions in Iran. He believes that his son was smuggled out of Marivan border and entered PAK, but the only thing that the responsible institutions in Iran have done is to inform. He emphasized: “How was my son the smuggled out of the border? Why didn’t anyone stop him?”
Second trip to Iraq
I was not disappointed, I borrowed money and decided to go to the Kurdistan Region in Iraq again. On the second trip, after a lot of begging, tracking and trying to find PAK quarters, they finally allowed me to see my son. They sent him to another place along with four soldiers and told me to go there to see my son. But they didn’t let us leave together. They were always watching over us, that’s where I got into a fight with them again and they beat me up again. I had gone to save my child; But actually, due to their maintenance and the supervision of PAK members, I did not succeed and this time I returned to Iran, but without my son.
PAK satisfaction? Confessions are mandatory!
Regarding some videos have been published of some of these children members of PAK, Mr. Veisi described them as forced confessions and the threat of Pak armed forces. He believes: “Our children say they are satisfied with where they are! Who is satisfied with being a member of the armed group in the barracks? Are forced labor and compulsory membership satisfactory? How can you be a member of a group and be satisfied with the threat of life? I and all the families watched the movies several times. We are sure that young PAK members read from a fixed text. This issue can be an example of forced confession. I swear they threatened all these kids, as they threatened my own son. Basically, the work of PAK members is deception, threats, extortion and beatings!
Hatred of PAK and armed groups
Regarding the popularity of armed groups among the people of Iranian Kurdistan, Mr. Veisi said: “As a Kurd, I say frankly that we hate terrorism!” We and our children and fellow citizens are not satisfied with staying these children there. We are not satisfied with the PAK manner. They have no role in Kurdish issues, they only threaten. When I was talking to my son, he told me that before they brought him to visit, they threatened him that if he wanted to say anything about returning to Iran, they would kill him and his father. How should we be satisfied with PAK and its leaders? Why are our children imprisoned? Why doesn’t it allow me to meet? Compulsory service in the military system also has a specific time and ends in one day! Why should membership in PAK be permanent?”
Psychological pressure on PAK members
Mr. Veisi told our reporter about his pursuits and the points he noticed during this time: “During this time, I read and read many times about these armed groups and talked to many people. I have heard many times from some people separated from this group that they torture the members and put them under psychological pressure. They are not allowed to contact the family. In the worst prisons in the world, a prisoner has the right to meet and communicate! Apparently PAK should be recorded as the world’s worst prison in Guinness! I am certainly sure that my child is under mental and psychological pressure and death threats; because after we went to Erbil with other families to follow up on the condition of our children, I could not have a phone call with my son. While before this, he had a phone or video call with us once a month. But after our trip to another region, all of them have been cut off, and I am sure that my son will be imprisoned and tortured.”
Dream of freedom
The last words of Mr. Veisi were a wish: “Now I have only one wish: the return of my son and freedom from the hell of Hossein Yazdan Panah!” His forces attacked our gathering in Erbil; in front of dozens of press! It is normal that in their headquarters they treat our children like savages. I declare clearly that even if I have to kill myself, I will do so, but I will return my son.”
